And now, we're starting to get that sinking feeling this year's trade deadline may be as exciting as your company's annual earnings report.

The most titillating news Monday was the Tampa Bay Rays' decision to trade for reliever Jesse Crain, who hasn't pitched since June 29 with a shoulder injury.

Well, at least he's pitched this season, even earning an All-Star spot.

There's so much desperation for bullpen help these days that five teams - with the Pittsburgh Pirates emerging as the frontrunner - have made offers for former San Francisco Giants closer Brian Wilson.

Wilson last pitched in a game 474 days ago and is recovering from his second Tommy John surgery.

Certainly, the Detroit Tigers and Atlanta Braves made shrewd, October-friendly pickups with their bullpen acquisitions Monday. But Jose Veras and Scott Downs hardly are household names in their own clubhouse, let alone the baseball world.

Whatever happened to recent years that saw Cy Young winners CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Zack Greinke traded at the deadline?

The finest starter traded this summer is Matt Garza, traded to the Rangers. He's won more than 11 games just once in his career. Injury-prone Chicago White Sox veteran Jake Peavy may be the best available pitcher, and he has made 30 starts once in the six years since winning the 2007 NL Cy Young award.

Once, we could count on the New York Yankees to spare us, buying up the best players in the land. These days, they're like hoarders at a flea market, seeing if there's any more junk they can find with loose change.

Really, the only possible difference-maker with any shot of being moved by 4 p.m. [ET] Wednesday is Lee, ace of a Phillies team that's slid from contention.

The trouble is there's a greater chance of the New York Yankees putting a plaque in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium honoring Alex Rodriguez than Lee being dealt.

Sure, the Phillies are telling teams they'll listen, but they're asking teams to not only pay the remaining money on his contract, but give them two All-Stars and three future Hall of Famers to be named later.

Hey, why not? Would you rather have Lee at $77.5 million over the next three years or gamble on Garza, Josh Johnson and Tim Lincecum?

Maybe the Rangers can make life interesting. They need a performance-enhancing pick-me-up in a hurry after losing 12 of 16 games, while shut out three times in four games.

They are trying to pry away White Sox outfielder Alex Rios without giving up a top prospect. If they can't pull that off, they may bring back ol' friend Michael Young of the Philadelphia Phillies. Young, who spent 13 years with the Rangers before being traded last December to Philadelphia, would welcome a reunion.

Yet, despite the noise, the Rangers say they have no plans to trade All-Star closer Joe Nathan. The San Francisco Giants will listen, but don't expect to part with Lincecum or right fielder Hunter Pence. And the Seattle Mariners have shown no indication they will dump sluggers Kendrys Morales or Raul Ibanez.

If nothing else, maybe we'll have Phillies closer Jonathan Papelbon come to the rescue. The Phillies would love to trade him as soon as yesterday. They've grown tired of his act, and privately believe they found a team willing to take him and the remaining $30 million of his salary.

If Papelbon is ripping his team now ("I definitely didn't come here for this,'' he told MLB.com), and gets traded by Wednesday, imagine what he may spew on his way out.